Flameless candles are generally well known in the art. LEDs or similar illumination sources are positioned within a flame-shaped bulb on a candle shaped body. The illumination source can be powered by a rechargeable power source and can be actuated to emit a flickering type light or a constant flame type light, as desired by the user. While the most typical application for flameless candles is the restaurant industry where candle-lit tables are common and for safety reasons, using flameless lighting sources is preferred, home lighting and other applications are also common.
Traditional flameless candles come as part of a system with a charging tray that permits the candles to be stowed and charged when not in use. The current state of the art charging systems are inductive; eliminating the need for charging pins, and providing a charge for a lithium ion battery for up to 18 hours of continuous operation. These systems are easier to use than prior systems, but still have certain disadvantages. For example, the induction based systems need to have a ferrite rod, thereby making the charging media cumbersome; induction requires a relatively large charging coil, thus requiring larger candles that house the coil; and the induction charging is somewhat inefficient and the power consumption is relatively high.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for flameless candles and charging system therefor that provides efficient charging, smaller candle sizes, lower power consumption, and more flexible charging apparatus.